MR. TITO: The Problem with the Undertaker’s Post-Wrestling Career with the WWE
Recently, WWE Hall of Famer and legend, The Undertaker, has been under scrutiny as of late from online fans, podcasters, and/or former fellow wrestlers. The complaints seem to often be about his wife, Michelle McCool, using Taker’s WWE prominent spot in the company to advance her post-wrestling career because one didn’t previously exist. Lots of “nepotism” chants, even though WWE is all about nepotism when it comes to the McMahons (Shane, Stephanie, HHH), Ric Flair (Charlotte), The Rock (his daughter, Nia Jax, or anyone loosely related to him), and overpushing 2nd or 3rd generation wrestlers. For every Randy Orton, there’s a Curtis Axel or Ted Dibiase Jr. Reportedly in a recent story, one of Stephanie and Triple H’s daughters wants to become an executive in the WWE.
For the Undertaker, I think that it’s more than just Michelle McCool. While fans don’t like that she (a) took over LFG spot from Mickie James, (b) got in the Hall of Fame recently, or (c) began hosting the Undertaker’s now WWE-sponsored podcast, I think there are a few things bubbling under the surface about Mark Calaway that are starting to rise up and then uses situations, such as overpushing Michelle lately, as scapegoats to push back on him.
While Michelle McCool did not have an extensive career, she was a 4-time champion in 5 years and one of the top superstars of her era. That’s not bad considering she was from the Total Divas competition which wasn’t exactly a hotbed for producing wrestling talent. For every Bella Twin that it produced, and we can argue about their in-ring abilities, there were many failed lingerie models that tried to join the WWE and become wrestlers. McCool was a fitness model, but she was also a great high school and college athlete that made her legitimately stand out from the other models trying to join WWE. She legitimately destroyed people in that Divas vs. WWE dodgeball competition, for example. Through 2011, injuries piled up but she was also getting hot and heavy with the Undertaker as his girlfriend and soon to be wife. Michelle wanted to also become a mom, which she did.
Of course, others may have a more accomplished career than Michelle… But she’s not exactly chopped liver, either. She’s a 4-time champion and there are weaker resumes inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Insert Koko B. Ware defense…
Personally, I think that many are unfairly targeting Michelle and some of her recent Undertaker-induced involvement is just the straw that broke the camel’s back for possible tension with the Undertaker.
Let’s explore…
TOP REASONS WHY THE UNDERTAKER HAS HEAT WITH WWE FANS (and Wrestlers)
#1 – Went from being under-exposed to over-exposed.
What I appreciated about the Undertaker is that he tried to stay in character and limit his interview appearances while serving as a WWE wrestler. Then, once he retired, he’s performed interviews here, there, and everywhere while also having his own podcast. He went from barely talking to talking too much. I swear, I have heard the Survivor Series 1991 story multiple times now on multiple outlets since he retired. Does lots of interviews and now has his own podcast to fully tell behind-the-scenes stories were weren’t used to hearing from Mark.
#2 – Podcast changes.
Undertaker went from having his own independently owned podcast, with a great co-host who kept things moving and held him accountable when needed, to switching to being WWE-owned and now hosted by his wife. His new WWE-owned podcast is LAME and feels incredibly phoned in. Sorry, but I don’t want a rehearsed discussion between Undertaker and his wife. If I wanted something like that, I’d watch LIVE with Kelly and Mark daily (which I don’t).
#3 – Vince McMahon stench.
Through thick and thin, the Undertaker is still very close with Vince McMahon and has even appeared at various functions with Vince even when the sexual conduct/NDA allegations stove has been really hot. Like Bruce Prichard, it’s highly suspected that Undertaker can act as a proxy person for Vince McMahon’s wishes.
On this point, many suggest that Undertaker may be wooing TKO executives to possibly obtain an even larger position in the company and possibly challenge Triple H’s creative/talent role. I doubt that, as HHH is more of the grinder type whereas Undertaker enjoys his free time. However, the thought that Undertaker could be a vessel to bring back the “Vince style” of WWE is out there and suggested by many online.
#4 – Expensive Autographs.
Undertaker almost became a free agent, which could have allowed him to control where me made his own appearances and what he could charge. However, WWE feared that AEW might somehow sign him or use him at events, and therefore probably gave him the most expensive WWE Legends contract of all time. Autographs for the Undertaker are getting into that $200+ range, as are photos with the legendary WWE wrestler adding another $200+. While many fans are willing to pay it, WWE commands a ridiculously high price for his appearances.
#5 – Politics.
Before he retired, you could find his political leanings based on his political donations. However, Undertaker did not broadcast them openly. Then, once he retired, he began to provide his political opinion on shows and during the 2024 election, he and Kane had Donald Trump on a podcast. Now, I understand that about half of you reading this voted for him, too, but the other half didn’t. Same premise is with Triple H recently attending various White House events. It gets into the old adage of Michael Jordan’s comments about “the other party buys sneakers too”. For many, entertainment/sports and politics should not mix.
#6 – Michelle McCool.
I’m OK with the Hall of Fame induction, as for the WWE Hall of Fame, it’s about availability and ability to be on the same page with WWE. Not every ex-wrestler can checkbox either of those. For Michelle, I don’t like the abruptness for which Mickie James lost her spot and I think that Michelle as Undertaker’s co-host on the podcast makes for an incredibly LAME podcast. That said, if there’s a possibility that the Undertaker is trying to get in more with TKO, it could be as a 2-person package with himself and Michelle both joining WWE as executives or producers. Don’t be surprised if Michelle becomes some sort of backstage producer or member of the creative team thanks to these recent WWE pushes in non-wrestler capacities.
#7 – Wrestler’s court judge who protected his bullying friends.
I believe this is the #1 reason why many wrestlers dislike some of Undertaker’s recent maneuvers. During the late 1990s and throughout the 2000s, the Undertaker was the “judge” for wrestler’s court which featured the wrestlers, themselves, holding “trials” for wrestlers who may or may not have broke unwritten rules. For example, veterans expect to be addressed a certain way by younger wrestlers and it’s expected that you should shake everyone’s hand when arriving to a venue. Also, there are certain things you shouldn’t do inside the ring, like “going into business for yourself”, or going behind people’s back with WWE management. Many wrestlers like to rib other co-workers and sometime the court was used to punish that, if someone was caught or accused.
The problem with wrestler’s court is that it protected Undertaker’s friends from bad and bullying behavior. Many midcard wrestlers speaking out now against their tenures in the WWE bring up different forms of pranks, hazing, and legitimate bullying they had to endure by Undertaker’s top lieutenants. Meanwhile, those who bullied or hazed NEVER received legitimate judgment by the Undertaker, just continued enabling instead. And then Undertaker’s friends used their spots as his buddies to bully or haze wrestlers to keep them in the midcard. If any wrestlers went to Vince or other WWE officials to complain, the bullies would be protected by Undertaker and Vince always believed this Deadman golden goose.
This “court” no longer exists, and thus wrestlers have more opportunities to rise up without a political structure in place that kept wrestlers from climbing due to perceived reputation from this joke of a court. Undertaker let it happen and never questioned his buddies, while letting other wrestlers get repeatedly embarrassed backstage.
#8 – Undertaker waited too long to retire.
While I personally love the “Boneyard Match” at Wrestlemania 36, his matches since the streak was broken have been terrible. Anything outside of the United States was rough (Goldberg match, tag match with Kane vs. HHH/HBK), but the Wrestlemania matches just weren’t good. Bray Wyatt, the spotfest with Shane McMahon, bad match with Roman Reigns, and the joke of a match with John Cena. In my opinion, he overstayed his welcome and rarely produced quality during his later years. Fans were growing tired of the Undertaker before he retired.
LAST WORD
Listen, Undertaker is in the Top 10 of all-time great wrestlers, period. I will NEVER dispute that and his almost 30 year WWE career speaks for itself.
BUT, I could see why people are tiring of him during his post-wrestling career. He goes from protecting the business too much to overexposing it too much. Michelle McCool got hired by the WWE based on her own merits, so why can’t she succeed based on her own talents instead of hitching herself onto Undertaker projects? The new Undertaker podcast is LAME and it reduced the decent podcast that it once was under the new WWE template.
The biggest problem for me, though, is that he’s becoming a corporate entity for himself and roping in Michelle into those good corporate times. Personally, I don’t blame him as I’d like to pad my bank account with the money he makes, too, while also doing whatever it takes to help my wife… However, with that expensive WWE Legends contract in place, we’re getting overpriced appearances and autograph signings along with WWE-sterilized LFG and Undertaker podcast shows. Everything feels like it’s for the money or an image, versus celebrating a great wrestling career which is what fans want to do.
I still believe the wrestler’s court issue will cause more to come to light in future years… My sources during the early to mid 2000s told me that many OVW, Tough Enough, and Divas Search promoted wrestlers to the WWE roster were unfairly treated or were at least embarrassed by the wrestler courts and it may have limited many from hitting their potential in WWE. It created the toxic WWE environment backstage that endured for 20 years which was enabled by Vince McMahon who trusted Undertaker to handle things. Thankfully, the Undertaker didn’t partake in the same activities as Vince, but he could have helped prevented many wrestlers from not having a great time in WWE or advancing their careers further.
I think that it is hard to present yourself as “one of the boys” when you’re clearly a pawn for TKO management or can act like a corporate shill. In summary, I think that is the main issue with the current state of the Undertaker and anyone in his orbit.
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